Through a photo published on social media Facebook (see here, here and here), it is claimed that the British historian Marko Attila Hoare has stated that Russia and the European Union (EU) have the same goal, dominance, but differ in the methods they use. In the photograph circulating online, Hoare is also attributed with the claim that the case of Kosovo and former President Hashim Thaçi proves that Russia and the EU act in a similar way.
What's wrong with this claim?
After fact-checking conducted by hibrid.info, searches in public sources have not identified an interview, article, video or original publication where Hoare made this statement in the form presented in the photograph.
FACTS
The photo contains a quote attributed to Hoare, but it does not indicate where, when, or under what circumstances the statement was made. There is no mention of any interview, medium, publication date, or other source that would allow for verification of his words.
Google searches have not found the original source of the quote, nor any reliable publication in credible media that confirms the wording shown in the photograph (see here).
Another important element is that Hoare has publicly expressed positions on Kosovo, Russia, and the European Union, but these positions do not align with the claim that Russia and the EU have the same goal, dominance.
In an article published in the British magazine "Prospect” on 27 September 2008, Hoare argues that Russia's actions in Georgia are not equivalent to Western actions regarding Kosovo. He rejects the comparison of Russian intervention in Georgia with Western actions in Kosovo, emphasizing the differences between them.
Meanwhile, in an interview published by Al Jazeera and republished by the organization BHAAAAS, Hoare has spoken out about Russian influence in the Western Balkans. He describes Russian policy as an attempt to foment conflict and weaken NATO and the EU. At the same time, he argues that the European Union should engage with the Western Balkan countries in order to contribute to the stability of the region.
These documented positions do not support the presentation of Russia and the EU as actors with the same goal of domination.
About the Special Court and the case of Hashim Thaçi
In an interview for Albanian Post, published on May 13, 2023, Hoare spoke about the trial of former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
He assessed that the Special Prosecution's efforts to present the KLA General Headquarters as a "Joint Criminal Enterprise" may fail. However, he stressed that there is a possibility that former KLA leaders will be found guilty, linking this assessment to political developments in Western countries.
Hoare has also raised questions about the appropriateness of trying Kosovo Albanians by an internationally staffed court, based outside of Kosovo, for their liberation war.
These statements show that Hoare has expressed critical views regarding the judicial process in The Hague. However, the identified interview does not contain the statement attributed to him in the circulating photograph, according to which the Thaçi case proves that Russia and the EU have the same goal of domination.
Analyze
Through a photo published on Facebook, Marko Attila Hoare is attributed with the statement that Russia and the European Union have the same goal, domination, but use different methods, citing the case of Kosovo and Hashim Thaçi as evidence.
However, after online research, no original source was found to confirm this quote. Hoare's documented statements on Kosovo and Russian influence in the Balkans do not support the claim that he equated the goals of Russia and the EU.
Based on its work methodology, hibrid.info assesses this content as "Fake News".
rationale
The “Fake News” rating is given to informational content that is entirely fabricated or that contains factually incorrect claims or information. Content that is rated as fake news can be defined as having been created and distributed with the intent to misinform the public, i.e., to present a claim that is completely false as fact.